Jaehaerys I Targaryen
BIOGRAPHY APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER Jaehaerys is known as one of the best king's of the early Targaryen age by Maesters. Wise beyond his years as a boy, he surrounded himself with intellects as his father once did, and kept his court full of maesters, septons, and alchemists. As all his siblings, he bore the traditional silver hair and purple eyes that bespoke his Valyrian heritage. When first ascending the throne, he was noted to be tall, strong, and unreasonably handsome. Maidens swooned at him, but his eyes were only for his sister-wife. Even in old age, he never grew fat, keeping his stomach flat as it was when he was a boy. By the end of his reign, his hair and beard had gone snow white and grew very long, is beard reaching the lower points of his waist. He dressed in flowing silk robes of black and gold. His crown was a soft gold band with several different colored gemstones. BACKGROUND Jaehaerys I Targaryen was born 34 AC to Prince Aenys Targaryen and Princess Alyssa Velaryon. At the time of his birth, he had two older brother in succession for the Iron Throne, the Princes Aegon and Viserys. During his youth, Prince Jaehaerys served as squire to Lord Alyn Stokeworth, the former Hand of the King. He received his knight's spurs at the age of fifteen, one year after coming into the throne. His dragon Vermithor hatched from his cradle egg that originally belonged to his uncle, Prince Maegor. According to court chronicles, when Jaehaerys presented his dragon to his father's court, his uncle eyes grew dark and he said "so the lad thinks himself a dragon rider?" Before the king could respond, the prince let out a low raspy laugh, something all to rare and said, "He thinks himself man enough to steal my dragon?" Prince and dragon were inseparable, all sources agree. Though she was originally betrothed to her elder brother Viserys, Alysanne and Jaehaerys were already more than fond of one another at an early age. It is said that they would mount their dragons and race each other from Dragonstone to Driftmark and back. This caused somewhat of a rivalry between the two brothers, as Viserys was adamant that his brother was attempting to steal his bride, while Jaehaerys regarded himself as in love with Alysanne. During his father's reign he served as cupbearer for the royal court, while his sister attended Viserys and Aegon on Dragonstone. This forced separation only further inflamed their passion for one another, and deepened the rivalry between Viserys and Jaehaerys. During the rise of the Faith Militant, Jaehaerys was seven years old. He flew pale pink rose petals before his siblings white chargers as they entered the throne room for their wedding. Afterwards, several Poor Fellows scaled the walls of the Reed Keep and attempted to kill the royal family. Only the intervention of Ser Raymont Baratheon saved the king. After this Jaehaerys fled the Dragonstone, where he would remain until his father's death. EARLY REIGN After Maegor's death on the Iron Throne, Jaehaerys quickly seized the opportunity to take King's Landing. Lord Rogar Baratheon led a force of five thousand men from Storm's End while Jaehaerys and Alysanne took their dragons to the city. After it was confirmed that Maegor was dead, the new king commanded that he be crowned immediately. But other things would trouble the king before he could be anointed. During his time in hiding, he took Lady Alayne Baratheon, the maiden sister of Lord Rogar, as a mistress. One day as he held court, the woman barged into the throne room and demanded that he acknowledge his daughter. Lord Rogar was unhappy as well, and threatened to remove his support unless he made amends. The king's bastard daughter, who took the name Rhaenys, was legitimized as a Targaryen and wed to the heir of Driftmark. The king further rewarder Lady Alayne with a marriage to Lord Alaric Arryn, Lord of the Vale, and gave his mother's hand to Lord Rogar. The new king was eager to make amends with the Faith, but did so on his own terms. A temporary ceasefire was called for while the realm recovered from Maegor's wars. When he became a man, Jaehaerys took his younger sister Alysanne to wife, while giving Princess Vaella to the Faith. A decade into his reign, Jaehaerys became acquainted with a man named Barth, a Septon that attended to the books in the Red Keep's library. He was soon appointed Hand of the King, a position he kept for forty years. Together they would bring much peace and stability to the realm, and the final peace agreements between the crown and the Faith were hammered out. The Faith promised to lay down their swords, while Jaehaerys promised that the crown would always protect and defend the Faith. ROYAL PROGRESSES The king was known for his love of travel, and was noted to fly across his realm whenever he pleased. After he got older however, these progresses were continued by his son and heir, Aemon.